Use of the 87Sr/86Sr isotopic ratio as an environmental tracer: An example of the application to the Fossil Forest of the Dunarobba (FFD) sedimentary system near Aviglano Umbro (Terni - Central Italy)

A recent discovery of Pliocene tree trunks (Taxodium, Glyptostrobus or Sequoia) perfectly preserved in the fluvial lacustrine sediments deposited in the old Tiberin Lake (near the town of Dunarobba, Central Italy) has led to the study of the conditions responsible for the trunks preservation. The present work has applied Sr isotope techniques to examine and confirm fluid migration in the different sediment types which cross the entire fluvial-lacustrine sequence. Based on the 87Sr/86Sr ratios measured in carbonate and in silicate fractions of samples collected from a bore hole (from 0 to 120 m) it is concluded that each sedimentary level has limited communication between zones and is characterised by different isotope values. This suggests that the intrinsic properties of these clays make them a good material for isolating waste, both for direct use and for a better buffer in other formations, possibly less secure, such as salt or granite. The results obtained in the present work have demonstrated some of the potential uses of the 87Sr/86Sr isotopic ratio as an environmental tracer for confirming results from some of the geotechnical (such as permeability) and geochemical parameters of these host sediments. © 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.